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Editor's Blog

(February 14th, 2008.  -  Editor)          The WGA strike is over! Now the healing can begin. Each side in the dispute seems both satisfied enough with the deal and frustrated enough by the deal to suggest that middle ground was reached. The majority of writers returned to their jobs on Wednesday. The late night and daytime talk shows will immediately return to a more traditional daily format. Most Primetime TV series are expected to be delivering new episodes to the air in about a month.

          The strike was the first complete breakdown between the writers and producers since the 153 day strike in 1988 that destroyed that year's television season and cost the industry more than $1 Billion in lost wages. This time out, the strike, which started on November 5th, 2007, and continued for 100 days, is estimated to have cost the industry about $3.2 Billion.

          In voting that took place on Monday Feb 11th and Tuesday Feb 12th, the members of the WGA East and WGA West, a total of 3,775 members, or about one third of the working members of the guild, voted overwhelmingly in favor of accepting a deal that is said to be the best deal they have ever been able to reach with the members of The Motion Picture And Television Producers Association. 3,492 guild members voted in favor of the deal at the Writers' Guild Theater in Beverly Hills and the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. A full 92.5% of the membership voted in favor of ratifying the deal, while just 283 members voted against accepting the deal as offered.

          Under the pending three-year contract, residuals for movies and TV shows sold online would be doubled, and the WGA would be given jurisdiction over content created specifically for the Web, above certain budget thresholds. And like directors, writers would receive a 3.5 percent per year increase in minimum pay rates for television and film work. WGA members, who were previously not paid for content streamed for free via the intent, will get a fixed residual payment of 1,200 dollars a year for one-hour webcasts during the first two years of the new contract. In the third year, writers, unlike Directors' Guild of America members, would get residuals equal to 2 percent of any revenue taken in by the program's distributor.

          Patrick Verrone, president of the WGA West, was happy his membership was returning to their jobs with "A foothold in the digital age". During a February 12th press conference held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, he expressed optimism that their bargaining unit had made a good deal for the membership. " This was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct . Rather than being shut out of the future of content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as television migrates to the Internet and platforms for new media are developed."

          Producers may be faced with additional costs because the strike ended now, instead of continuing long enough to officially write-off the 2007-08 television season. Recalling cast and crews to the set for just a few episodes might be more difficult and more expense than it would be worth for many series. The network executives are already making a lot of announcements, and more are coming in the next few days, about the future of individual series. I am guessing that those show that will be picked-up for the 2008-09 television season will work through the summer, in part to reduce the "Per Episode" cost of production and in part to again stockpile episode to improve their bargaining position during upcoming negotiations with the members of The Screen Actors Guild. Those shows that will not be returning next season are also not likely to return to complete this season.

          Producers of Desperate Housewives hope to create as many as seven new episodes before the end of the 2007-08 television season. Likewise as many as seven new episodes of "C.S.I.", "C.S.I.: Miami" and "C.S.I: New York" could be created for air during April and May. Four or five more episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" and a similar number of "Private Practice" could also be inserted into the line up in the coming months. As many as seven new episodes of "Numb3rs", four to six new episodes of "House" and four more "Bones" episodes remain, while the CW network is boasting as many as nine new episodes of "Gossip Girl" might make it to the screen before the end of the season. Four or five new episodes of "Reaper" and the same number of "Supernatural" episodes may also air.

          My impression remains one of surprise at how well prepared the producers were for the strike. They had scripts and completed episodes stockpiled that kept the wheels of the industry moving through November sweeps and the critical pre-holiday selling season for the advertisers. They had new shows and new episodes of returning series for February sweeps, and we will soon see that some shows might have even had a few new episodes left for May sweeps, had the stike lasted that long. Development of reality and game shows kicked into high gear and the network news divisions were suddenly welcome in primetime again. In hindsight, it seemes to me that the strike was not settled to save the television season, but instead, a deal was reached because the producers would not allow The 80th Anniversary of The Academy Awards to be cancelled or abbreviated.

          Whatever it was that created the right circumstances for an agreement, at least we lowly TV viewers can look forward to a few new episodes of our favorite shows. The selection on television will remain poor for a while, but at least we have a little hope for the future.

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          As usual, ABC is the first among the major networks to announce the shows that will return next season. The network is traditionally first to announce which shows will be renewed and by omition, which shows will not.

          One hour dramas "Brothers & Sisters," "Desperate Housewives," "Dirty Sexy Money," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost," "Private Practice," "Pushing Daisies," and "Ugly Betty" will join the comedy "Samantha Who?" in receiving pickups for '08-'09 Season. Missing from the list of dramas are October Road, Men In Trees, Big Shots, Cashmere Mafia & The Practice. Comedies Carpoolers, Cavemen, According To Jim & Just For Laughs are also not on the renewal list. Game Show & Reality Show picks for next season will be announced at a later date.

          The rest of the major networks will also be announcing their returning shows for next season in the coming weeks.

 

  --  Editor  --

 

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